1 Samuel 20:35-21:15; John 9:1-13; Psalms 112:4-10; Proverbs 24:13-14
NT: “As he was passing by, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” Jesus answered. “This came about so that God’s works might be displayed in him. We must do the works of him who sent me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” After he said these things he spit on the ground, made some mud from the saliva, and spread the mud on his eyes. “Go,” he told him, “wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means “Sent”). So he left, washed, and came back seeing.” (John 9:1-7 CSB)
The sixth sign that Jesus gave, as highlighted by John, that proved that Jesus was the Son of God was the healing of the blind man that was blind from birth. It is one thing to heal someone who went blind later in life. It is another to heal someone who had never had the capacity to see. For Jesus to heal this congenital defect, He would have to perform a creative miracle… creating something that didn’t exist before. This blind man never had the capacity to see, and Jesus made something out of nothing. In the working of the miracle, Jesus does two things that alludes to His divine nature. First, He formed mud from the dust of the ground and placed it on the man’s eyes, which was a clear parallel to God creating man from the dust of the ground. Then Jesus once again referred to Himself as the light of the world. The disciples assumed that the man was born blind as a judgement for sin – which was a common belief in those days. Jesus corrected their assumption and said that ultimately the man was blind that God would bear glorified through his weakness. God desires to bring light to those in darkness and sight to those who are blind. Jesus is the Light of the World and the One Who gives sight to the blind. As long as Jesus is in the world… and as long as Jesus is abiding in us, we are to be about doing the works of the Father: bringing people out of darkness into light and helping them see the truth.
Psalms: “Light shines in the darkness for the upright. He is gracious, compassionate, and righteous. Good will come to the one who lends generously and conducts his business fairly. He will never be shaken. The righteous one will be remembered forever. He will not fear bad news; his heart is confident, trusting in the Lord. His heart is assured; he will not fear. In the end he will look in triumph on his foes. He distributes freely to the poor; his righteousness endures forever. His horn will be exalted in honor.” (Psalms 112:4-9 CSB)
This psalm describes the blessings that belong to those who walk in Godly righteousness – to those who fear the Lord and take delight in His commands – to those who order their lives according to God’s word, will, and ways. Tying perfectly in with Jesus’ call to His followers to do the Father’s work while it is still day, is the first statement in this excerpt: “Light shines in the darkness for the upright.” When we walk uprightly… when we walk according to God’s word, will, and ways… when we follow Jesus, saying what He says and doing what He does, by the leading of the Holy Spirit – we will live in light and are able to bring light to all the darkness that surrounds us… helping people to see clearly. Just look at these benefits of following the Lord, and consider if these are relevant for us today. If so, to have these blessings – all that is required is to place your faith in Jesus and follow Him.
Jamie Hicks 